The World Is Mine For The Taking

If this were a formal duel, the crowd would undoubtedly erupt into cheers, with all bets favoring her victory. But this wasn't a duel, not in the traditional sense.

With my mana blade now highly concentrated and emitting a powerful aura, causing my hair to billow in the pressure, I assumed a sideways stance at mid-height. Meanwhile, she kept her right hand close to her body, holding her blade horizontally, poised and ready for whatever came next.

She wore a grin, and I found myself mirroring her excitement. This was turning out to be quite exhilarating.

Without hesitation, she leaped forward with remarkable agility, covering the distance between us in the blink of an eye. Twisting her muscular frame to the right, she extended her right hand like a speeding arrow. With immense momentum and force behind her, she thrust twice to the left of my body, followed by a third thrust to the right.

The attacks were seemingly ordinary, lacking in speed but frighteningly precise. While I might manage to evade the first two strikes to the right, dodging the final blow would be impossible.

Her grin widened as I made my move, realizing that I had played right into her hands. I spun to the right in an attempt to dodge her initial strikes, but I knew the third thrust would find its mark.

"You're dead!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

"Dream on!" I retorted.

Instead of allowing myself to be impaled, my mana blade blurred into motion just before her blade struck my body. The trajectory of her thrust was thrown off slightly, and a small spark erupted from the point of contact on her weapon.

By the time she realized I had deftly parried her thrust, I was already launching an uppercut towards her chin. She attempted to pull her sword back, but quickly realized her mistake. If she withdrew now, she'd only immobilize herself, making for an easy target.

Caught in indecision, she remained frozen in place as my uppercut connected with her chin, sending her flying through the air for a short distance before landing hard on her backside.

"Woah..." I exclaimed, impressed by her resilience. "Nice reflexes," I remarked.

She coughed and spat, a mixture of blood and a tooth landing on the ground. It was clear I had inflicted some damage. "Bastard..." she growled, her voice laced with venom.

Without hesitation, she darted towards me. Simultaneously, I glimpsed a dark glimmer hurtling towards the base of my neck. Her attack was swift, but for me, it was...

"Slow!"

The lightning-fast assault was met with a lightning-fast counterattack of my own. A powerful shockwave reverberated through the air as our opposing forces clashed. In the aftermath, I observed the air shimmer with the release of unleashed energy. She attempted to use magic against me, but unfortunately for her, it was only thwarted by the Guardian.

The woman took a step back, keeping a safe distance, and with a growl, she swung her sword overhead. I swiftly moved to the right, deflecting the slashing attack coming down on me. Amidst the sparks and clanging, a jolt surged through my hand. That was a solid strike.

I jumped back, but the woman instantly snapped her weapon forward, as if it had no weight at all. Her swings came one after another, too fast for reactive instincts. I had to meticulously observe her every move to anticipate the next attack and either deflect or evade it. Occasionally, our blades would briefly clash, but neither of us had landed a clean hit yet.

Amidst this rapid-fire battle, I sensed something off. What was happening to her? It seemed that something was amplifying within her, likely due to that pill. Her attack and reaction speeds were unnervingly swift, so much so that even a blink could result in being struck. The ferocity and speed of her assaults sent a sharp thrill racing through my body.

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This time, instead of her initiating the attack, I decided it was my turn. Her eyes widened slightly, but her grin took on a menacing edge. I swung my blade in a silver arc, the sound of it slicing through the air filling the space.

Yet, my opponent swiftly repositioned her sword to defend against my strike. The sharp clash of metal on metal made both of us wince. Seizing the opportunity, we both used the moment to create some distance between us.

"Now, this is getting fun!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with madness. "Oooh, this exchange really makes me want to cum!"

"I may be feeling the same thrill, but I doubt I'll reach climax from this," I replied.

Her keen eyes gleamed with a lethal intent honed by years of combat experience and numerous kills. As she aimed her blade at me, it began to emit a silver glow, indicating the infusion of mana into it.

"Haaa!" With a sharp exhale, she thrust her blade forward, slicing through the air with precision.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as my instincts screamed at me to flee. Reacting instinctively, I swiftly pivoted away from the trajectory of her attack. What was that move? My Guardian had warned me that being hit by it would result in injury... Did that mean my Guardian wasn't effective against such an attack?

No, that's not it. I understand now... So that blade, when infused with mana, acts as a power dampener. It's all clear to me now...

With that epiphany, a grave determination settled over me. I summoned forth my bloodlust, thick and suffocating, permeating the very air around us. Its intensity was palpable, causing the atmosphere to quiver with apprehension. As the woman beheld this ominous display, her once-confident facade faltered, and her legs began to tremble involuntarily.

"W-What the...?"

Her hand, tightly gripping her blade, began to tremble with uncertainty. In that pivotal moment, realization dawned upon her — it was the end of the line. With a surge of resolve, I propelled myself towards her. But it wasn't a mere dash; it was a manifestation of sheer speed, an instantaneous blur of motion. In the blink of an eye, I was at her side, my hand making contact with her shoulder.

And in that fleeting instant, her entire being seemed to crumble as her knees gave way.

"H-Huh? W-What..." she mumbled. "...Who are you?"

She gazed into my eyes, but the moment her gaze met mine, she saw the darkness within. She couldn't comprehend it. She had thought herself superior, yet now she found herself kneeling before me.

"Mephisto," I replied with a smile.

In that instant, her bladder betrayed her, and she peed.

***

Sara's POV

Mephisto. I'd heard that name before. It was the name that man had always warned me about, telling me to steer clear.

Initially, I had dismissed Mephisto as nothing more than a myth, a tale spun to instill fear. The fantastical abilities attributed to him seemed beyond the realm of possibility, prompting even my brother to doubt their veracity.

But now, confronted with the palpable aura of terror exuding from Mephisto, I could no longer deny the gravity of the man's words.

His gaze pierced through me like a dagger, each glance a predatory strike aimed at my very soul. I quivered under the weight of his intense scrutiny, feeling as though I stood before the merciless eyes of a relentless hunter. A tremor coursed through my body, and beneath me, a warm puddle formed, a humiliating testament to my overwhelming fear.

In that crucial moment, I found myself with no alternative but to reveal my true form, deactivating my skill in a desperate bid for survival.

"Hmm... You're...?"

Before he could fully grasp the situation, I seized my blade, its glint reflecting the dim light, and aimed it directly at my chest. It was a gamble, a last-ditch effort to escape the imminent threat and secure a chance at life beyond the confines of the Church.

With trembling hands, I prepared to take the plunge, to initiate the teleportation process that could potentially save me from a grisly fate. However, before I could follow through with my desperate act, Mephisto intervened with swift and decisive action, his boot connecting with the blade and sending it clattering to the ground.

In that harrowing moment, every fiber of my being screamed for escape. With a surge of adrenaline-fueled panic, I turned and fled, the echoes of my terrified screams reverberating through the halls. Mephisto, the enigmatic figure who had toppled titans of power with effortless grace, loomed ominously behind me. It was a stark realization, a chilling acknowledgement of the perilous threat he posed.

Indeed, confronting Mephisto was akin to staring death squarely in the face.

All I could do was run. I ran, and I ran, and I ran. I didn't have the first idea where I was going.

But I knew I had to keep running.